“Ultimately, it will come out of what’s happening with Mexico … and we will be in a form reimbursed by Mexico, which I’ve always said,” Trump said.
He confirmed that U.S. taxpayer dollars would be used to start the construction but said reimbursement would follow.

“All it is, is we’ll be reimbursed at a later date from whatever transaction we make from Mexico,” he said.

“I’m just telling you there will be a payment. It will be in a form, perhaps a complicated form. What I’m doing is good for the United States. It’s also going to be good for Mexico. We want to have a very stable, very solid Mexico.”

When asked about the start of construction, Trump mentioned “months.”

“As soon as we can, as soon as we can physically do it,” he said. “I would say in months, yea. I would say in months — certainly planning is starting immediately.”

He also dismissed criticism from the president of Mexico, who has repeatedly insisted his nation won’t be paying for the wall.

“He has to say that,” Trump said.

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